Fiber cutting mechanism for tape condenser or similar machines



Feb 22, 1938. H KMGHT 2,109,176

FIBER CUTTING MECHANISM FOR TAPE CONDENSER OR SIMILAR MACHINES Filed001;. 26, 1937 Figzl.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Inverflor. Henry H. Kmgh'r I MW Feb. 22, 3938.

FIBER CUTTING NECHANIS H. H. KNIGHT 2,109,176

M FOR TAPE CONDENSER OR SIMILAR MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.8.

Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFMIE FIBER CUTTINGMECHANISM FOR TAPE CONDENSER OR SIMILAR MAClHNES Application October 26,1937, Serial No. 171,076

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine provided with means forprogressively dividing a web of fiber into slivers and divertingcontiguous slivers into diverging paths. Such a machine or mechanismforms a part, for example, of the machine known in the textile art as atape condenser. An ordinary type of tape condenser is provided with apair of grooved dividing rolls with the grooves in one roll opposite tothe raised portions of the other roll and with a series of tape runspassing around the rolls and leading therefrom in diverging paths. A webof fiber such as the web doffed from a carding machine is fed to thedividing rolls which with the tapes act to sever the web of fiber into aseries of contiguous slivers. These slivers are carried away from thedividing rolls by the tape runs with the tape runs alternately divergingand consequently with contiguous slivers diverging. A series ofalternating slivers therefore pass upward to a set of elements such asaprons which act to form the slivers into rovings, while the otherseries of alternating slivers pass downward to another set of suchelements.

When a web of fiber, such, for example, as that dofied from a cardingmachine, is thus divided into slivers, the separation at the dividingpoint between contiguous slivers takes place, not by a clean cut but bymore of a pulling or tearing apart of the web. When the web of fiber iscomposed of long staple, as in the case of mohair, high grade wool, andcertain other fibers, many of the long fibers remain extended betweenadjacent slivers as they diverge from the dividing point. As suchcontiguous slivers continue in their diverging paths, the fibers thusconnecting the two slivers either have to be broken apart or pulled byone sliver entirely out from the other sliver. In either case, anundesirable strain is placed upon the mechanism and a varyingaccumulation or mass of fiber is pulled from one sliver to the other,thus rendering the slivers uneven or of non-uniform cross section, aswell as causing ragged edges on the slivers.

It is the object of the present invention to provide for the severanceof any fibers thus extended between adjacent diverging slivers beforeany deleterious eiiect is produced by such fibers on the slivers.

The invention has for its further object to provide more specifically aknife extending parallel with and at the rear of the line of divergenceof the slivers and reciprocating this knife so as to cut any fiberswhich extend between the adjacent diverging slivers.

The invention has for its further object to provide means for properlypositioning the knife, both in its operative position and in aninoperative or rearward position where it will not interfere with themachine and the slivers when relatively short fiber stock is beinghandled and there is no objectionable extension of fibers betweencontiguous diverging slivers.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear morefully from the accompanying description and drawings and will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Since a tape condenser provided with dividing rolls and sliver-carryingtapes, which is here selected to illustrate a preferred form of theinvention, is a machine well known to those skilled in the textile art,there is here illustrated and described only so much thereof, and thatmore or less diagrammatically, as is necessary to a dis closure of apreferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of a small portion of such a machine in the vicinity ofthe dividing rolls looking toward the inside of one side frame.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a small portion of the side of the machineopposite to that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view partially in elevation and partially in vertical crosssection taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing another form of construction.

In the construction illustrated, the machine comprises a pair ofvertical side frames I and 2 in which are journalled the cooperatingdividing rolls 3 and 4. Each of these rolls is provided with grooves 5of the width of the desired slivers alternating with ribs 6 of the samewidth. The grooves and ribs in one roll are opposite, respectively, tothe ribs and grooves in the other roll. As usual, the endmost ribs andgrooves are wider than the others to take care of the waste edges of theweb. The tapes employed are usually endless and in their runs pass fromthe groove of one roll onto the rib of the opposing roll with the runsdiverging at the rear from the bite of the rolls. For example, a tape 1passing down in a groove of the dividing roll 3 passes therefrom onto arib of the lower roll 4, while the next tape" 8 passes up in a groove inthe lower roll 4 onto a rib on the roll 3. Thus, as will be wellunderstood, the tape runs alternately diverge at the rear of the rolls.The web 9 of fiber as it is fed moving part of the machine.

to the dividing rolls is divided by the rolls and tapes into a series ofslivers extending across the width of the web and these slivers arecarried away from the bite of the rolls between the respective tape runsand underlying ribs, all in a well-known manner, so that the tape runsengaging the rolls and alternately diverging therefrom carry away fromthe rolls contiguous slivers detached from the web of fiber.

If, as already pointed out, the web is composed of or comprises longstaple fiber, many of these fibers, as indicated at If) in Fig. l, areextended between adjacent diverging slivers with the bjectionableconsequences already pointed out.

In this invention, cutting means are located and operate at the rear ofthe line of divergence of the slivers and act to cut any such fibersextended between the adjacent diverging slivers.

In the preferred construction illustrated, in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, asuitable'casing or bracket, herein shown as a hollow, generallyrectangular casting ii is secured to the inside of the side frame l asby bolts it and a similar casting I3 is secured to the inside of theside frame 2 directly opposite. In each of these castings there ismounted for forward. and rearward sliding movement substantially inalignment with the bite of the dividing rolls a guide i4. As shown, eachguide slides in a slot and is held in place by a plate i5 inside thecasting. A knife support, illustrated as a square metal rod It, extendsparallel with the dividing rolls and is mounted for endwisereciprocation in the guides 14, for that purpose being shown as passingthrough square holes in the guides. A knife blade I l of thin steel issecured to the knife support I6 as by being clamped thereon between thesupport and a clamping plate l8. This knife blade projects forward fromthe support and the parts are so located that when the knife is inoperative position, the edge of the knife is close to the bite of thedividing rolls in position to engage and sever any fibers extendingbetween the diverging tape runs.

In order to effect an efficient cutting operation, the knife blade isreciprocated endwise with sufficient rapidity to insure cutting of thefibers before they can travel any appreciable distance with the tapesand to insure against objectionable collection of grease and lint on theknife blade.

Within the broader scope of the invention, any suitable means may beemployed for thus reciprocating the knife, but preferably thisreciprocation is effected by driving connections with a In theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to l, inclusive, 8. vertical shaft is ismounted in a bracket 28 secured to the outside of the side frame 2. Thisshaft has secured thereto a pulley 2| driven by a belt 22 from a pulley23 upon a driven shaft 24 which may be, for xample, one of the shaftsused for operating the condensing aprons in a tape condenser. This shaft!9 has secured thereto at its lower end a disk 25 carrying an eccentricpin 26. This pin enters an aperture in the end of a link 21 pivoted at28 at its inner end between bifurcations 29 formed upon or secured tothe end of the knife support 56. This link connection passes through asuitable aperture 30 in the side frame. It will thus be seen that whenthe machine is in operation with the, parts thus connected, the knifewill be given the required reciprocating motion.

The same machine or tape condenser is frequently employed for handlingwebs of fiber of different staple length and may frequently be changedfrom handling a web of long staple fiber to handling a web of shortstaple fiber. In the latter case, the cutting, mechanism is unnecessaryand its continued operation would be undesirable. Furthermore, in anycase, when the web of fiber is first fed into the machine, as from thecarding machine, it is apt to be of uneven thickness or more or lessbunched up at the leading end and if the knife were in operativeposition, the result might be to push some of the tapes back against theknife and thus injure or cut the tapes. It is therefore highly desirablethat means shall be provided for removing the knife from its operativeposition whenever required. It is for this reason that the knife supportis shown mounted in the backward and forward movable guides M.

In the preferred construction illustrated, the knife support and knifeare held or locked in forward operating position by latching means. Forthat purpose a latch 3! is pivoted at 32 at each side of the machine andconveniently on the respective castings H and i3. The hooked end of thislatch engages behind the guide M and the latch is held in lookingposition by a spring 33 secured to the opposite end and to the sideframe as to a stud 34 projecting therefrom. Each guide 54 is also shownas connected by a spring 35 extending rearward to a fixed point on theside frame, such as a stud 36 secured to the casting for the guide. Themechanism is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the knife in operatingposition. When now it is desired to move the knife to inoperative orrearward position, the levers 3| at each side are rocked against thetension of the latches $3, releasing the guides 14 which, under theinfluence of the springs 35, move the knife rearward to inoperativeposition determined by the engagement of the guides with the rearwardends of the slots within which they move. To replace the knife suppcrtand knife in operative position, the operator simplyv pushes the guidesforward against the tension of the springs 35 until the latches 3i snapover the rear ends of the guides.

When the knife is in inoperative position, it is,

of course, desirable to disconnect the mechanism for reciprocating it.As a simple means for effecting that result, the shaft I9 is provided atits upper end with a cap 31 resting on the bracket 29. Hence by liftingthis cap and with it the shaft 19 in its bearing, the eccentric pin 26is withdrawn from the link 27 which may then be swung aside out of thepath of the eccentric pm.

In Fig. 5 a slightly different mechanism for reciprocating the knife isshown. In this case the horizontal shaft 38 is mounted in a bracket 3?on the side frame and carries at its end a pulley 40 driven by anysuitable means. In this case the link 41 is pivoted on the knife supportto swing vertically with respect thereto. A disk 42 on the end of theshaft 38 is provided with the eccentric pin t3 passing through the endof the link M.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A machine comprising means for progressively dividing a web of fiberinto slivers and diverting contiguous slivers into diverging paths, andcutting means located and operating at the diverging slivers,

2. A machine comprising means for progressively dividing a, web of fiberinto slivers and diverting contiguous slivers into diverging paths, aknife extending parallel with and at the rear of the line of divergenceof. the slivers, and means for reciprocating the knife to cut any fibersextended between adjacent diverging slivers.

3. A tape condenser having a pair of dividing rolls, a series of taperuns engaging said rolls and alternately diverging from and carryingaway from said rolls contiguous slivers detached from a web of fiber fedto said rolls, and cutting means located and operating at the rear ofthe line of divergence of the slivers to out any fibers extended betweenadjacent diverging slivers.

4. A tape condenser having a pair of. dividing rolls, a series of taperuns engaging said rolls and alternately diverging from and carryingfrom said rolls contiguous slivers detached from a web of fiber fed tosaid rolls, a knife extending parallel with and at the rear of the lineof divergence of the slivers, and means for reciprocating the knife tocut any fibers extended between adjacent diverging slivers.

5. A machine as defined in claim 2, together with means for adjustingthe knife to a further rearward and inoperative position.

6. A machine as defined in claim 2, together with yielding means actingto move the knife rearward to an inoperative position, and latchingmeans acting releasably to hold the knife in operative position.

7. A machine as defined in claim 4, together with means for adjustingthe knife to a further rearward and inoperative position.

8. A machine as defined in claim 4, together with yielding means actingto move the knife rearward to an inoperative position, and latchingmeans acting releasabl-y to hold the knife in operative position.

mounted for endwise reciprocation in said guides,

a knife blade secured to and projecting forward from said support withits edge close to the line of divergence when the guides are in forwardposition, and means for reciprocating the knife support. 7

10. A machine as defined in claim 9 in which the means for reciprocatingthe knife support comprises an eccentric mounted at one side of themachine, means for rotating the eccentric, and a detachable connectionbetween the eccentric and the knife support.

11. A tape condenser having a pair of dividing rolls, a series of taperuns engaging said rolls and alternately diverging from and carryingaway from said rolls contiguous slivers detached from a web of fiber fedto said rolls, a guide at each side of the tape condenser mounted formovement toward and from the rear of the dividing rolls,- a knifesupport extending parallel with the dividing rolls mounted for endwisereciprocation in said guides, a knife blade secured to and projectingforward from said support with its edge close to the bite of thedividing rolls when the guides are in forward position, and means forreciprocating the knife support.

12. A tape condenser as defined in claim 11 in which the means forreciprocating the knife support comprises an eccentric mounted at oneside of the condenser, means for rotating the eccentric, and adetachable connection between the eccentric and the knife support.

HENRY H. KNIGHT.

